Early warning systems: how do you think you would use them? I know they seem straight forward enough, but they seem like there's a lot of shenanigans to be had with this def retrofit.

Lol..I think your autocorrect messed up your title.

As for the question, I think these are way tricky to use, and occupy a spot more valuable upgrades can use.

I think they'll be quite valuable for ships that prefer to stay at long range, and I see keeping it on the bow as you go forward to stop early bombing shenanigans. Once you lose shields on a side you can cover it with EWS and not have to work as hard to redirect as you would otherwise.

3 minutes ago, Formynder4 said:

I think they'll be quite valuable for ships that prefer to stay at long range, and I see keeping it on the bow as you go forward to stop early bombing shenanigans. Once you lose shields on a side you can cover it with EWS and not have to work as hard to redirect as you would otherwise.

Early bombing shenanigans is the #1 use I see for it. A squadron light fleet facing a bomber (or Sloane...) fleet often has to suffer an early round of bombing before ships can get in position to start doing work. Early Warning Systems shuts that down, then continues to have utility as the game moves on. Since it happens at the start of the ship phase, you can strip dice away from those first/last ships that have set up their great double arc on you. For only a couple points more, I think this saves you FAR more damage than Reinforce Blast Doors on larger ships. This is among the best of the Defensive Retros for an ISD2, in my opinion.

The locals guys and I were discussing this upgrade. I had a CC match on Monday where I faced 207 points in squads compared to my 117. A 540 to 450 point match. He had the squadron base defense chosen. The way the match played out, I started turn 6 with a Defiance that had 1 rear shield, 4 side shields, and no hull damage. My front arc had an Arquitens in it. Rear was covered by 1300s that were falling behind. I had no screen around the front. He had a lot of bombers in my side that were going to have trouble getting to my front.

We were discussing if you EWS the front or side. If you EWS the front, the Arquitens gets a bit hurt and the bombers have to blow through the shields on the side. If I EWS the side, his bombers were going to have a hard time getting to my front and I would take less shots overall.

But I feel like this upgrade is mostly for small ships with an otherwise unfilled Defensive slot and the MC80A. I think it is meta-dependent in larger ships with 1 slot. Bomber heavy meta? This is possibly better than ECM.

In a Bomber Heavy Meta Which is lackey my big ship shots, for sure it is better.

it is as good as ECM is basically a poor choice when large batteries with semi-guaranteed ACC results abound.

My MC80 Assault Cruiser is going to love it. Why choose between Electronic Countermeasures and Early Warning System when I can have both?

I want rebel-tua (maybe a title?) real bad so I can put it on a liberty.

I think its very strong for dealing with Squadron attacks, and attacks from any ship that has a single dice for long range shooting. No more Ackbar CR90s at long range for example.

A good addition to the game in my opinion.

1 minute ago, TheEasternKing said:

I think its very strong for dealing with Squadron attacks, and attacks from any ship that has a single dice for long range shooting. No more Ackbar CR90s at long range for example.

A good addition to the game in my opinion.

I didn't think about that- you think you see a lot of Jaina's Light in corvette fleets now, wait until EWS becomes common...

It doesn’t matter what Defensive Retrofit we take - Vader boarding team on a Kuat will tear it off anyway!!

But seriously, I think this upgrade could be very good for a squadronless or low squadron fleet. At 7pts its quite an investment, so should be saved for a medium or large base.

Mc80a. Some small ships that can either force odd positioning or expose a just one wide arc.

isd forces you to chose whether you will tech small shots or big ones. And that will be hard because the wave encourages more big ship use.

32 minutes ago, OlaphOfTheNorth said:

I didn't think about that- you think you see a lot of Jaina's Light in corvette fleets now, wait until EWS becomes common...

Jainas Light is probably the single best title in the game. Its never not handy and for 2 points it fits into lists easily.

43 minutes ago, OlaphOfTheNorth said:

I didn't think about that- you think you see a lot of Jaina's Light in corvette fleets now, wait until EWS becomes common...

Who doesn't take Jaina's Light?

13 minutes ago, TallGiraffe said:

Who doesn't take Jaina's Light?

Imperials

25 minutes ago, TallGiraffe said:

Who doesn't take Jaina's Light?

I mean, sometimes I don't take a CR90 at all. I don't use it those times.

I'm curious to try it with an MC75 Aspiration. You can stack 6 shields on two facings and deter bombers from hitting your weakest other side with EWS (or, if you're circling the enemy, leave your far side exposed and hope to sucker bombers out of command range of their carriers and into multiple flak arcs). Or point your nose towards the enemy and stack your buffed shields with obstruction.

1 hour ago, Vergilius said:

Mc80a. Some small ships that can either force odd positioning or expose a just one wide arc.

isd forces you to chose whether you will tech small shots or big ones. And that will be hard because the wave encourages more big ship use.

It does, but largely because we’ve seen soooooo many squadrons.

1 hour ago, draco193 said:

Jainas Light is probably the single best title in the game. Its never not handy and for 2 points it fits into lists easily.

Its up there for sure. Although as long as Demo exists it probably gets to be best title.

Silly rabbit. EWS is for squadronless shrimps.

MM++ v7.0b (398/400)
===================
MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 + 62)
+ Mon Mothma (30)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Early Warning System (7)
+ Assault Proton Torpedoes (5)
+ H9 Turbolasers (8)
+ Admonition (8)
MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 + 16)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Early Warning System (7)
+ Assault Proton Torpedoes (5)
MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 + 16)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Early Warning System (7)
+ Assault Proton Torpedoes (5)
MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 + 16)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Early Warning System (7)
+ Assault Proton Torpedoes (5)
GR-75 Medium Transports (18)
GR-75 Medium Transports (18)

Ah, but you had to drop a flotilla and will now wind up hopelessly out activated. You are doomed. Doomed!

29 minutes ago, Ardaedhel said:

Silly rabbit. EWS is for squadronless shrimps.

MM++ v7.0b (398/400)
===================
MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 + 62)
+ Mon Mothma (30)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Early Warning System (7)
+ Assault Proton Torpedoes (5)
+ H9 Turbolasers (8)
+ Admonition (8)
MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 + 16)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Early Warning System (7)
+ Assault Proton Torpedoes (5)
MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 + 16)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Early Warning System (7)
+ Assault Proton Torpedoes (5)
MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 + 16)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Early Warning System (7)
+ Assault Proton Torpedoes (5)
GR-75 Medium Transports (18)
GR-75 Medium Transports (18)

This is almost exactly like a list I've been working on, just with h9's swapped for Lando on the flagship and a pair of comms nets. It's already frustrating shooting at Mothma shrimps, now you're telling me I get Cracken on all of them too?! I really want to get it on the table but...

Vader Cymoons have been calling my name

4 minutes ago, MandalorianMoose said:

Vader Cymoons have been calling my name

Yuuuuup.

We are all Vader Cymoons on this blessed day.

Just now, Ardaedhel said:

Yuuuuup.

We are all Vader Cymoons on this blessed day.

not ALL of us

Still, with all these new toys and options, i am really looking forward to wave 7. It's a good day for all!

It is without a doubt a great card. The question becomes, is it better than the other cards (like ECM) that occupy that spot. I think I will use it in my CC campaigns, but probably not at tournaments. In my CC campaign I know my opponents will be rebels, and if I see two or three of my opposing fleet either relying on lots of fighters or massed corvettes (or other smaller ships) Early Warning System quickly becomes well worth its points (and its slot cost). But I suspect to see fewer fighters at tournaments (there are a lot of upgrades that are making non/low fighter lists more viable.) And I think the EWS will be less effective than other upgrades in that slot against fewer harder hitting ships.

That being said, I can easily imagine a MC80 with ECMs and EWS in its two slots.